Oyu
by The Random Protector
Summary: -Discontinued- -Hot Water- While searching for the Avatar, Zuko encounters the remains of a ship and a girl with her dog. What does she have in store for the exiled prince?
1. Black Smoke

I don't believe I'm writing an Avatar fanfic. I actually thought the entire thing up in a day though it will take me a _much_ longer time to write.

The title means 'Hot Water,' well according to my English-Japanese dictionary it does. And no, this is not a Zuko-Katara fic. Every chapter will have a Japanese title with the English translation in that drop down box (but this first one is 'Black Smoke' because there isn't any box to begin with). I'm sorry in advance if any character is OOC but, eh, it could happen. If you're wondering, this takes place about a month after the Winter Solstice which would be in the middle of January in my mind.

Well, basically please read and review and any flames please direct them to the secretary (if I could afford one). I really don't care though.

Disclaimer: If I owned _Avatar_ why in the world would I be wasting my time writing this for a fanfiction site? I don't own it, but I wish I did…

* * *

**Chapter One – _Kokuen_**

A deep sigh left the young man as he stared off the side of the large ship, gazing down into the clear water. He could see himself in the water, even from this high up. Inhaling softly, he frowned at the large scar adorning his features. He glared at his miniscule reflection before lifting his head up to meet the clear sky. There wasn't a cloud for miles around and it had a slight calming effect on him.

"Ah, it is a wonderful day for sailing, is it not, Prince Zuko?"

The young prince turned to glare at his uncle who had just interrupted his thoughts. "It is a good day to capture the Avatar, if that is what you mean, Uncle," he responded in a stiff, almost cold manner. He then turned back, leaning on the rail of the ship.

Iroh smiled at his nephew and moved to stand next to him, leaning on the rail as well. "Prince Zuko, you should learn to consider doing other things on such a fine day. Like practicing your meditation. It will help you clear your mind."

Zuko snorted and proceeded to stare off the side of the ship. A cold wind blew past, bringing in the salty smell of the ocean and…

'_Smoke?_' Zuko thought, his posture turning rigid. "Uncle, did you," he began as he turned around and stopped short.

A large plume of smoke was visible on the horizon, floating lazily into the once clear sky. Zuko walked quickly to the other side of the Fire Navy ship, his boots clicking on the steel surface. Pulling out his spyglass, he squinted against the glare of the sun as he searched for where the smoke was coming from.

His efforts were successful as he managed to pick out the skeleton of a ship still floating while smoke billowed out of it. The wooden frame was mostly intact even as a support beam fell into the ocean. Frowning, he shoved his spyglass into his pocket and turned to the helm. "Helmsman! Change our course and head for the smoke!"

Obeying, the ship began to turn slowly until it faced the dark smoke still rising.

"What do you intend to do, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked, watching the young man's face as it turned to one of concentration.

"I want to see what happened," he said simply. His uncle nodded and watched as the smoke grew nearer.

"Helmsman! Slow the ship down!" Zuko commanded again as the warship approached the smoking, crumbling ship. He stood near the stern of his uncle's boat, watching the water as the ship cut through it. The teenager looked up at the skeleton, watching it as it floated lazily in the water, smoke still billowing out of its engine.

'A Water Tribe ship,' he thought, noticing the wooden framework and the engine design. Frowning, he turned his attention to the water again, wincing as a body drifted by, face down in the ocean.

The ocean surrounding the skeleton was littered with people, most of them women and children. Zuko squirmed slightly and then his face twisted to one of anger as a Fire soldier's helmet bobbed in the sea.

'_Dammit,_' he thought angrily. '_These people didn't deserve this._'

"It doesn't look like anyone survived, Prince Zuko," Iroh said softly, noticing his nephew's tense body and the expression in his face. He gazed sadly down as a pair of children floated by, their bodies' blue.

"Yes, it looks like that," the prince agreed through clenched teeth. He turned away from the stern, ready to give his next orders and escape this perfect example of human cruelty.

Something barked.

He whirled around, clutching the railing. Zuko searched the ocean, hell, he searched the crumbling ship that had just lost another piece of its support to find out what was still alive.

The barking continued, followed by loud, wailing howls that pierced the eerie silence like a knife.

"Helmsman!" Zuko called out. "Follow that noise!"

The ship turned slightly, heading towards the skeleton. Zuko searched the water as the howling grew louder while several of the men raced up on board, wondering what was going on. Several more bodies floated by the warship and another Fire Nation helmet drifted in the slow current.

"There, Prince Zuko!" Iroh called out, pointing down near where part of the skeleton made a small shelter from the wind.

The prince's eyes followed his uncle's arm and he found what was making the racket.

A piece of board was floating in the water, most likely having come from the boat itself. On it was a dog, keeping his balance with spread paws as he howled and barked. His gray on white coat was matted with water and blood as he begged and pleaded with anyone to help him.

Underneath him was a still figure, half in the freezing water and half out. He couldn't see much about the figure as the dog covered the body well, obviously protecting the person from anything that was passing.

"Bring me a rope ladder!" Zuko called out, watching as two of the soldiers carried out his orders. "Helmsman! Cut the engine and pull up next to that dog!"

The boat lurched as the engine shut off and the warship slowed to a snail's pace. The ladder appeared next to him, supported by two soldiers. Zuko tied the rope to the rail and threw it over the side, listening to it clatter and clank against the steel side. They were pulling up close to the board by now and the young man began to climb down the rope ladder.

When he reached the bottom, he noticed how awful the dog smelled and looked. He had stopped his infernal howling and now was growling at him with his fangs bared. The blue eyes showed a slight madness as he barked menacingly. The pricked ears laid close to his skull as Zuko drew closer to the board.

"Make up your mind," Zuko grumbled, reaching out to grab the dog by the scruff. The dog snapped out, nearly biting the teen's hand. Zuko let out his own growl, snapping his hand out and grabbing the dog's scruff. The dog yelped and Zuko lifted him easily off the board, finding out he had a harness on.

"Throw a rope down! The dog has a harness!"

A length of rope spiraled down to meet him. The prince grabbed the end, tying it around the back of the dog's harness as he dodged another bite. He tugged the rope twice and watched as the dog was slowly lifted onto the ship, struggling still as he barked and clawed the air.

With that out of the way, he turned his attention to what the dog had been protecting. He blinked in surprise when he found a girl about his age lying unconscious on the board. She was pale, shivering slightly against the cold air. He couldn't blame her really, it was the middle of January and the freezing water wasn't helping either. Shallow, slow breaths were forced between frozen, blue lips as he hesitated a moment.

Zuko finally reached out, pulling the board closer so he could grab a hold of her better. She started to slip off her makeshift raft and his hand gripped the back of her shirt, pulling her to him. With one arm holding onto the ladder, he managed to wrap the other around her waist tightly to hold her steady. Grunting, he pulled her up with him, feeling her weak shivering through his Fire Nation uniform.

Somehow, he had managed to climb the ladder with one hand while holding the girl in the other. Two soldiers reached down, taking the girl from the prince and laying her on the ship's deck while Zuko dragged himself over the railing.

"She is not in good shape, Prince Zuko," his uncle commented while he looked over the soaked girl. The dog that had accompanied her was now barking up a storm and being held back by one of his soldiers. "I suggest we move her to the infirmary so Yasuo can look at her."

He nodded, an almost automatic movement. Two soldiers took this as their cue and picked her up, taking her down the stairs to where the medic worked. The one holding the dog suddenly let go and the canine took off, following the men while he whined.

"That was very kind of you," his uncle said, smiling at the exiled prince.

"Yeah, well, none of them deserved that," he mumbled, turning on his heel. "Helmsman! Turn this ship and head north again! We still have to find the Avatar!" When he was certain the ship was heading in the right direction, he descended into the ship, heading towards the infirmary.

He passed several rooms and several soldiers milling around. The exiled prince grabbed one of the soldiers, ordering him to go watch for the Avatar. While he rushed off to obey the order, Zuko continued on his way to the medic's workplace.

He knocked, more in formality than in politeness, before he entered. The medic, a man around Iroh's age, was tending to a burn on the girl's arm. His weary eyes were concentrated on the wound as he cleaned and bandaged it.

Zuko waited patiently, well as patient as he could, while the medic finished the burn. He noticed the dog was sitting besides the girl, whimpering slightly each time the girl winced. When he looked towards the small window to have something to do, he found the girl's wet clothes drying in front of it.

"Prince Zuko," the medic said, giving the teen a smile. "I assume you want her status."

The young man narrowed his eyes slightly. "Yes, Yasuo. That would be helpful."

The older man smiled and adjusted the blanket wrapped around the shivering girl. "It's a basic case of hypothermia," he said, standing now and moving to the cabinets near the back of the room. "Along with a few cuts, bruises, and burns, most likely from a fight."

"With Fire benders?" Zuko asked, watching the medic as he poured an amber liquid into an old, chipped cup.

"Again, most likely." Yasuo brought the cup over to the girl, lifting her head and pouring the strong smelling ale down her throat. He laid her back down, smiling when her body jerked and color returned to her face, the blue fading from her lips. "Right now, though, she needs someplace warm to get her temperature back up. If you could, Prince Zuko, take her down to the furnace. It's plenty warm in there."

The young man frowned slightly, wondering if he was joking but the stern look in Yasuo's eyes told him otherwise. Zuko strode over to where she was sleeping, tucking his arms under her and lifting her easily. The dog growled slightly at him but said nothing else when the prince carried her out of the infirmary.

He did not like his job at the moment. The dog trotted beside him, glancing up at him with the ice blue eyes every now and then. The prince jogged lightly down another flight of stairs with the dog at his heels. The warmth of the furnace met him as he pushed open the door to the engine room and strode easily in. The machine gave off a reddish glow, engulfing everything in the steel room with it. Storage boxes reflected the glow on the prince as he moved towards the roaring heat.

Luckily, no one was waiting inside to laugh at him even though that would result in the offender earning a scar similar to his.

Zuko, in all basic sense of the word, dropped his package on the ground a safe distance from the furnace. The snarl behind him told him that the room's other occupant was not happy. He gave the canine a glare before backing off.

The dog glared back and took his place behind his human, turning her on her side to face the heat source. He lied down behind her, grunting as he stretched his joints.

Satisfied that the animal had fallen asleep, he moved closer, examining the girl he had picked up. She had to be from the Water Tribe as her skin was the same color as the Avatar's annoying friends. Black hair, though the color was most likely from the way the room was lit or from it being wet still, was plastered to her face and neck. The blanket covered the rest of her body and, even if he was a teenager, he was not going that far.

The sound of boots clicking against the metal woke the mutt as he rolled onto his stomach. Zuko turned to see who would be stupid enough to come down to the engine room at this particular time.

"Prince Zuko, that can't be very comfortable for her," Iroh said as he walked into the room. A soldier stood beside him which would explain the sounds of the boots.

Zuko glared at his uncle. His job had been to bring the girl to the engine room, not keep her comfortable. His uncle moved towards the unconscious Water Tribe member, bending over her as the dog watched him warily.

"She seems to be doing much better now," he commented, straightening back up with a groan. "Unlike me," he joked.

Once again, the prince said nothing and gave his uncle another glare.

"Go and fetch Yasuo," Iroh ordered the soldier, receiving a salute. He turned towards his nephew who was glaring at the world and all who inhabit it. Smiling, the retired general lowered himself onto one of the smaller boxes, sighing in relief. "You know, Prince Zuko, many of the sailors are talking about your _heroic_ rescue!" On the last part, Iroh spread his arms wide with a large grin on his face.

A tic appeared right under Zuko's right eye as he fought to keep his emotions under control.

The grin still evident on Iroh's face, he leaned back and waited a moment until the twitching under the young man's eye went away. "I had a good laugh over that little joke myself."

His response was a snort but it pleased the older man nonetheless. It showed that at least the prince was listening.

The soldier returned with Yasuo at that moment. Zuko thanked whatever higher powers there were for the interruption.

"Let's see now," the medic mumbled, kneeling down beside the girl as her dog whined. Her shivering had calmed again, for better this time. He checked her temperature, finding it had risen since her visit to the infirmary. "She'll be all right now. All she needs is some rest."

"Wonderful!" Iroh exclaimed, smiling at his dear friend. "Thank you, Yasuo." The firebender turned to his nephew, smiling again. "Prince Zuko, why don't you take her up to the extra room? I am sure she will be more comfortable there than in this dreary engine room."

Once again, the tic appeared under his eye and the prince snorted. He glared at the soldier who gulped and went to the task of picking the girl up.

The dog, however, had other ideas.

The soldier backed off as the dog snapped at him, barking up a storm. A menacing snarl finished up his dialogue and he sat stiffly, glaring at the soldier.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh began, "obviously, this dog has learned to not trust Fire Nation soldiers." The old man gave the exiled prince a smirk. "He has grown to know you won't hurt her though."

The tic appeared again as a frustrated growl escaped the Firebender. With a scowl, Zuko grabbed the girl and, with as much dignity as he could, stormed out of the furnace room.

He grumbled as he strode through the ship. The soldiers and sailors caught several phrases when he passed, everything from "damn dog" to "why couldn't I have left her?" The dog himself was following the Firebender, having to trot to stay in stride with the agitated prince.

After the second flight of stairs, Zuko reached the hall where his, his uncle's, and the captain's rooms were. An extra room, one his uncle treasured and kept for his old war buddies when they visited, was situated right next to Zuko's room and across from his uncle's. He pushed the door open, strode quickly across the room, and, just because the damn dog was watching him with malice in the blue eyes, he laid her down on the bed. Zuko gave the dog a glare as he left, slamming the door in frustration.

"And I could have left her in the water where she wouldn't be my problem," he grumbled as he stormed down the hallway.

* * *

Dark eyes weakly opened, focusing on the retreating figure. She winced when the door slammed and managed to turn her head, finding a dark gray coat in her blurry vision. "Sunoo…"

The dog turned at the weak noise, lighting up immediately when he found his human awake.

"Here boy," she whispered.

With a happy bark, the canine leapt onto the bed. He draped his paws across her body, his head settling on top of them.

She smiled, feeling the familiar weight resting on her. Shivering slightly, she slipped back into the peaceful bliss.


	2. Interrogation

Chapter two is now up…that's basically it. Name definitions are given at the bottom. Please read and review…ah, just do it, pretty please?

Small change made to second to last paragraph. It didn't make much sense.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Avatar_ but I own the dog and I own the girl…and Yasuo.

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**Chapter 2 – _Jinmon_**

_Water._

_It was supposed to be her element. It was supposed to be her friend, something who would protect her and keep her safe._

_It had also almost killed her._

_She didn't understand a lot of things but she did know the ironic twists of the world. _

_Water was her savior._

_Water was also her enemy._

She moaned, settling further into the blanket wrapped around her. A whine sounded above her and something shifted besides her. Relaxing, she tried to slip back into sleep.

A cold nose pressed against her cheek. Cold and wet, she should add. She made to push the dog off her but couldn't get her arm out of the blanket cocoon. Giving up, she let him lick the side of her face before she managed to get her eyelids open.

A happy bark was her reward as he licked her again. She winced slightly when he touched a still sensitive bruise.

Now awake, she shifted and found, to her surprise, her clothes had gone missing. She moaned and gripped the blanket as she slowly raised herself to sitting position on the bed. Her dog sat besides her, acting as a support for her just incase.

"Good boy, Sunoo," she mumbled, looking around the room. She had to be on some Fire Navy ship just the way the room rocked from side to side and the red and black fire tapestries hanging from the walls. A low table was situated a couple feet away from her bed, nailed down like every other item in the room. A couple of black smoke marks scarred the walls and ceiling. She blinked, focusing on the black dresser that leaned against the wall across from her, along with the only door in the room.

She sighed, shuddering slightly as a chill floated through the room. Leaning against Sunoo, she waited in hopes of catching whoever had dragged her from the water.

* * *

He had to be the most unlucky person in the world.

First, he had been banished by his _own_ father from his _own_ country. Then, he was stuck with capturing a twelve-year-old child who seemed to slip out of his grasp every single time. And now, he was stuck with some girl and a damn dog with an attitude that he could've left in the water.

His uncle had been there though and disapproved of violence against defenseless women and children as much as he so leaving her there had been out of the question. It would put a strain on their relationship, even though he didn't like to admit he liked his…eccentric uncle.

It would also take him a step closer to being like Admiral Zhao. He did not want that.

So now, Zuko stood outside the guest room – that was what his uncle called it – with a tray of food and the Water Tribe girl's clothes which were now dry. He had planned on interrogating her for what had happened on that ship and other important issues, one of which was if he could throw the damn dog overboard so he didn't get bit.

Swallowing, the Firebender knocked before he opened the door, carefully hiding the tray and clothes behind him as he entered. Zuko was surprised to find her awake already and sitting up as though she had been waiting for him. Dark eyes watched him as he stepped into the room and he heard the beast growl at him slightly while his nose worked.

He stopped on the other side of the table; staring down at her while she gazed up at him. "I have questions and I believe you have answers."

The girl sighed softly, shifting on the bed. "So?" she asked in a hoarse voice.

Zuko revealed the tray behind his back, watching smugly as her eyes widened and she stared at the tray. He placed it in front of her on the table and laid her clothes down next to it. She seemed to consider his proposition for a moment.

"Okay," she whispered, turning her attention back to him as her dog sniffed the air harder.

"Name," he began, his eyes trained on her and the mutt as he watched the prince like a hawk.

"Nami Kitagawa," she said after a moment's pause. "And Sunoo."

The dog bowed his head.

He nodded though he could've stood not knowing the mutt's name. '_There goes throwing him off the ship,_' he thought bitterly. "Age."

"Sixteen." Nami relaxed a little; getting a feeling he wouldn't hurt her even if he was part of the Fire Nation.

"Why were you on that ship?" he asked, watching her face as she thought.

"We were fleeing from the Fire Nation," she said, staring at the floor as the painful memories awakened. "They had attacked our village and we ran. They then attacked our ship two days later." Nami winced, settling deeper into the warmth of the blanket. "I got pushed overboard, I think, and I grabbed Sunoo because he jumped over the side and he found a board for us the float on." She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "We pretended to be dead to that the Fire Nation would go away."

The prince watched her during her explanation, frowning at the thought of his own people attacking women and children. He pushed aside his emotions though. "Do you know who the commanding officer was that attacked you?"

She blinked at the question but shut her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose. "It was Admiral…something starting with a 'z.'"

"Zhao?" he asked, watching as she thought and nodded.

"Yes, Zhao. I think that's what they called him." Nami looked up at him with dark, tired eyes.

Zuko was fuming inside but his face had not changed from its neutral expression. "That's all." He turned to leave; he wanted to have a talk with his uncle.

"Wait. It's Prince Zuko, isn't it?" she asked timidly.

The exiled prince stopped and faced her, nodding.

"Thank you, for, for saving Sunoo and I," she whispered, smiling. "I know he can be snappy with some people."

He gave Nami a nod and exited the room, heading for the meditation room where he was sure his uncle would be.

* * *

Nami waited until his footsteps faded away before she gazed at Sunoo. "Clothes," she mumbled.

He slipped down from the bed, stretching his stiff muscles. The dog picked up the small pile, turning around and placing the package besides her. Sunoo turned then, staring at the door with his ears at attention.

She smiled and unfolded her clothes, gazing sadly at the reminder of her small village. A light blue short sleeved shirt bought from a merchant ship and a dark blue coat made by her mother. The black pants had also been bought from the merchant ship and had kept her warm on the colder nights.

Nami slid her legs off the edge of the bed, standing. Wincing, she managed to stay standing as the blanket dropped. Nami dressed quickly, even though her dog stood watch, and collapsed back on the bed. Her clothes were a little warm and she wrapped the blanket around herself again to hold in the heat.

Sighing, she slipped off the bed when her strength returned. Nami dropped down in front of the tray, gazing at it. A small loaf of bread rested next to a very generous portion of some kind of meat stew. Two cups, one filled with water and the other filled with tea, were next to a large fruit. A small bowl of rice completed the meal.

Her stomach snapped her out of her daydreaming, reminding her that she had not eaten in at least three days.

Nami dug in, forgetting every rule about table manners as she did so. Sunoo received half of the bread along with chunks of meat as she wolfed the food down. The cup of water had been drained by the dog as she downed the tea. She split the fruit with him, finding the sweetness a little much from her usual diet of salty seal meat.

Full, she sighed happily and picked herself up. Nami yawned and lied down on the bed, intent on falling fast asleep within minutes. However, she began to think.

Thinking was her strongest point. Most men didn't want a wife who thought for herself, especially those in the Northern Water Tribes. She couldn't stop though and analyzed every opportunity. Nami hadn't thought too much these last few days as it had been a time for acting, not thinking.

Now her mind whirled over several issues. The first she could pick out was her situation. She had been attacked by the Fire Nation and yet saved by them as well. The one who had saved her was the Prince of the Fire Nation himself.

"Fire represents death and rebirth," she found herself saying.

That solved in her mind, she went to the next topic. What was she going to do now? She had no other family besides her father and brother and even then, she had no idea if they were still alive. They had gone off to fight in the war several years ago and hadn't returned. The prince would probably kick her off his ship at the next port. She'd have to start over then.

Sighing, she rolled onto her back as Sunoo crawled up next to her. She was tired but she wasn't sure if she could trust going to sleep on a ship filled with Fire Nation soldiers and sailors who all, by fate, were most likely all male. She was probably the only female on board at the moment. Sunoo could protect her but he wouldn't stand a chance against a Firebender.

Nami let out a groan and sat up, letting her head lean against the wall behind her. Her dog whined and curled up next to her, reassuring her that he was there. She rubbed his head tenderly but stayed curled in the blanket, forcing herself to stay awake.

* * *

Prince Zuko felt slightly better after his talk with his uncle. Also after ordering a few soldiers around and training without his annoying uncle to comment on his skill.

He had been putting off visiting the girl again though. He did want a few more answers but he procrastinated with training and standing on deck, looking for the Avatar.

The Firebender couldn't put it off any longer as it was nearing dusk and he stood outside the guest room. He hesitated a couple more seconds before finally knocking and slipping inside.

She gave him another surprise as he found her awake again. This time, however, it didn't look like she had rested at all since he had seen her that morning. Her eyes blinked open and she lifted her head to look at him for a moment.

The dog growled at him for a second before he stopped, resting his head on his crossed paws. His ears were trained on the prince as he stepped further into the room.

"What's wrong?" he asked. For a man who could have everything, he knew almost nothing about women or interacting with them. Zuko had never had any relationship with a female but he could tell when something was wrong, male or female.

"You tell me," she mumbled.

'_Well the food seems to be brought back some spirit in her,_' he thought, frowning. "I am not a very patient man," he growled. "Either you tell me what is wrong or you can sit there and brood on it."

Nami caught his golden eye gaze and gave him a small smirk. "I'm on a Fire Nation ship in the middle of the ocean filled with soldiers and sailors who are most likely all male. I am the only female on this ship at the moment. Do the work."

'_So, that is bothering her,_' he mused, shifting slightly on his feet while giving her a stern look. "I promise you, while you are on this ship, my uncle's men, my uncle, or I will not bother you in _that_ particular fashion."

She gave him a slight look before turning away. "Thank you," she mumbled.

He nodded and turned to stare at the dog who was watching the prince. "Do you need anything?" he found himself asking after an awkward pause.

The Water Tribe girl blinked in surprise but nodded. "Is there someplace I can wash up a little bit?"

Zuko gave her a nod. "Follow me."

Getting to her feet, she hissed at the stiffness that had settled in her body from sitting for so long. When he looked back at her to see what was wrong, she shook her head and they continued.

Her first time out of the room ended up with her barely understanding what hallway was what. Sunoo seemed to understand though and that was all she needed. The prince paused in front of a door, stepping back and nodding before leaving her.

* * *

Nami sighed loudly, opening the door and walking into the small washroom. Sunoo followed her, sitting at the door when it closed. He was, after all, her protector.

She smiled as her dog stood guard. He took his job extremely seriously. The girl found the basin of water first and discovered that it had to be manually heated up. Frowning, she decided to just use the cold water to wash her face and arms off.

Pausing, she stared down at the water. Nami let out a shaky breath and held her hand over the basin. She tried to calm herself but her hand shook as the water rose to meet her palm. It shivered and she lost it, the water splattering back into the basin.

Putting that off, she scrubbed her face and arms clean with the cold water, pushing down memories of being under the water after the attack. Shaking still, she turned to Sunoo, finding him watching her with comforting eyes. Nami blinked at his body though, surprised that she hadn't noticed the matted fur. Taking the basin, she knelt down beside him and cleaned him off. He held still, trusting her as she ran over his own sensitive bruises.

Satisfied with him, she kissed his white forehead and replaced the basin. "Let's find our way back."

She ended up following him as he led the way through the maze-like ship. His nose was one of the best she had ever seen and had helped them in her homeland when the ground had been covered in snow. He trotted down a flight of stairs and rested at the bottom, waiting for her to catch up.

Nami recognized this hallway and smiled, stroking the canine's head. The Water Tribe teen nearly jogged to the room in relief. She didn't trust the ship in its entirety.

The door beside her opened and she shrieked, jumping back and hitting the wall.

"So sorry, so sorry," she heard as someone took her hand and began to pat it.

Calming her breathing, she gazed up at the person she had run into. He had a calm, friendly face and a wide smile. She recognized him but couldn't place where she had seen him before.

"I apologize for scaring you, miss," he said softly, smiling kindly as she calmed. "I did not know you were there."

"It's all right," Nami reassured after her breathing had returned to normal. "I did not expect anyone around at this time."

"Ah, well you have nothing to fear from me, miss," he said, standing and helping her to her feet. "What is your name?"

"It's Nami. Nami Kitagawa," she answered, feeling relaxed around the man.

"That is a wonderful name." The man gave her a slight. "I am Iroh."

Sunoo decided to make his appearance then. He had been hanging in the background, watching the interaction between the two. The dog gave Iroh a friendly look and sat, tongue lolling out of his mouth.

"And who is this?" he asked, giving the girl a warm smile as he bent down a bit, petting the dog.

"Sunoo," she said with her own smile. "He's been my companion for years."

The dog gave his bow at the sound of his name and held out his paw for the Firebender.

"Ah, polite and well-behaved," Iroh said with a grin, shaking Sunoo's paw. He looked up, smiling wider. "Prince Zuko! Come see this wonderful animal."

She whirled around, blinking as she found the prince standing behind her. He had the slight frown on his face still but he seemed annoyed now.

"I'm aware of the dog, Uncle." He growled and disappeared into his room.

"Do not mind Prince Zuko, Miss Nami," Iroh said, comforting her. "He is usually like that around me." The old man sighed and gave her a smile. "I need to go see to it that we are heading in the right direction. Why don't you join me for breakfast tomorrow morning? I'll be in the meditation room. Just join me whenever you want to."

"Thank you, sir." Nami gave him a polite bow.

"You're welcome, Miss Nami," he smiled and left her to her own thoughts.

When the girl entered, she found another tray with food sitting on the table. After taking both their fills, Nami and her dog climbed into the bed, both falling fast asleep in minutes.

* * *

_Water was her savior. Water was her destroyer._

_Fire ruined her life. It had also saved her life._

_Ironic twists were her specialty_

_She understood that even though one element had its pros, it also had its cons. She found it hard to believe that in times of war, the pros would protect on the ones they were supposed to cause pain and the cons would cause pain on the ones they were supposed to protect._

_It was surprising that the people who were supposed to have no heart often cared the most._

* * *

Sunoo- Snow

Nami -A wave

Kitagawa -North River


	3. Nightmare

Thank you LittleFlowerLei, satsberrine, and Sunburst231 for reviewing! I'm glad you like it so far.

This chapter is a little shorter than the others but I had to leave at a good part.

Please read and review!

P.S. – Saw Howl's Moving Castle yesterday. Best movie I've seen so far this year. Go see it if you haven't yet for it is definitely worth it.

Disclaimer: I don't own it. I'd love to, but I don't.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – _Akumu_**

_Fire roared like a beast._

_Someone was screaming, the ear splitting cry making her cover her ears. Yells, screams, and shrieks joined the chorus as she fought her way through the crowd. She called for her dog, searching the retreating mob for him. Something knocked her down and she barely avoided being trampled to death._

_A bark sounded and a furry body collided with her. Relieved, she threw her arms around him, holding him tightly._

_The crowd suddenly turned as the smell of burning flesh hit their senses. She scrambled to her feet and nearly ran into a Firebender in her haste. Sunoo attacked though before he could react, ripping into his arm._

_She grabbed her dog, racing around him as she sought refuge at the side. Several women of the mob behind her screamed and ran for their lives as the Firebenders cornered them. Now near her element, she whirled around while she struggled to raise a wave to put out the numerous fires._

_Her concentration failed though as a small child ran by, her coat on fire. She grabbed the kid, ripping the coat off and tossing it in the water. Hissing, she clutched her hand as the new burn appeared. _

_More screaming hit her ears. Several Firebenders were either burning their victims to death or shoving them into the icy water. Mothers were fighting to keep their children safe as the crew of the ship were already dead._

_She was losing her hold on her emotions. The boat rocked violently, sending several more people, some Firebenders, falling over the edge. The wave hit the boat again as kids were sent careening over the railing._

_Her control snapped._

_The boat creaked dangerously as the water pressure pushed in from all sides, cracking the hull. Water spilled in as it literally tore the boat apart, sending it lurching to one side._

_Screaming, she slipped, joining her element as she hit the water hard. Coughing and sputtering, she broke the surface and floundered until she could keep herself afloat. Something else hit the water beside her and she turned, hoping to find Sunoo._

_Lifeless eyes stared at her._

_She shrieked, backing away from the dead body of her dog as it bobbed in the water, blood staining the blue around her. More bodies hit the water and she screamed, trying to swim away from them as fast as she could. _

_She was shoved under the water and floated mindlessly in the ocean. Flailing, she struggled to break the surface again._

_A hand grabbed her foot, pulling her away from the shimmering light of the surface. She panicked, struggling against the grip as more grabbed a hold of her and began to drag her under. Turning, she found herself staring at mutilated corpses and dead women. She fought them still, her head hurting and spinning as she struggled until she couldn't move and they were dragging her further under – _

_She screamed._

* * *

Prince Zuko had been lying awake for quite some time. He would roll over every now and then, trying to find a comfortable spot on the mattress. Grunting, he flipped over, staring at the fire tapestry hanging on the wall.

The Water Tribe girl came into his mind. She was confusing to say the least. One moment she had been a smartass and the next she had been screaming because she ran into his uncle. Though he did say his uncle could be a little scary at times, it still didn't make any sense. He had run down two flights of stairs to make sure she had been all right and to be sure one of the men weren't attacking her. Had he been a fool to find it was only his uncle, comforting her with his easy going nature.

The dog was confusing as well. Each time they met up, the mutt would either growl or glare at him warningly. It was as though he knew something that the prince himself did not.

Once again, he rolled over, staring at the door now. The walls in the ship were thin and he could hear the girl through the wall as she tossed and turned. Zuko sighed and closed his eyes, wanting to fall asleep. He had to capture the Avatar soon before Admiral Zhao did.

He had begun to drift off when he heard the girl groan and her movements became more frenzied. Zuko growled and tried to ignore her long enough for him to fall asleep.

A scream echoed throughout the room.

He was on his feet before he had processed what the hell was going on. Not even bothering with a shirt, he threw open his door and was in front of hers within seconds. The Firebender nearly knocked the door down as he burst inside dressed only in a pair of pants, a ball of fire balanced in his hand. Zuko quickly searched the room and found nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

The girl screamed again, writhing on the bed. Her dog was whining, nosing her face and nipping her hand as she struggled against the blanket.

Someone ran in and he heard his uncle's voice say something about tea as he made sure there was nothing in the room. The fire disappeared from his hand as he stared at him.

Iroh had moved into the room and gently shook the girl's shoulder as she thrashed violently. "Miss Nami, please wake up. It is only a nightmare."

The girl's eyes burst open and she shot up so fast that he nearly collided with Iroh's head. She coughed and flailed, falling off the bed as the ship lurched to one side. Zuko leaned against the wall while his uncle stood calmly, watching the girl as she coughed.

"No, no, no more," she mumbled between coughs and gasps for air. "I didn't."

"Miss Nami," Iroh whispered, kneeling down to her level. "It is all right. It was a nightmare."

A soldier entered, carrying a tray with a teapot and a couple of cups. He set it down on the table and left.

Zuko watched his uncle pour the girl a cup of tea and press it against her trembling hands. "Miss Nami, please take the cup. It is one of my favorites, jasmine tea. It will help you calm down."

She was still gasping but she took the cup, her body trembling as she managed a sip. The girl's eyes shot around the room, landing on the prince as he stood awkwardly against the wall by the door. They turned to where the dog was watching her. "Sunoo," she whispered.

He whined and jumped down from the bed, pressing up against her as her arms wrapped around him. "Sunoo, you're all right, you're all right."

Iroh had poured another cup and offered it to his nephew. Zuko shook his head. Shrugging, the old man took a sip to calm his own nerves. This reminded him too much of when Zuko had woken up within the throes of flashbacks in the forms of nightmares. "Take another drink, Miss Nami."

Nami swallowed what was left. Her breathing had started to calm and her hands had stilled. The remains of the nightmare were fading and she relaxed, resting against her dog.

"Would you like to talk?" he asked, gazing at her.

She looked up at his kind face and stared down at her empty cup. Her head nodded. "It was about what happened on the ship."

The older Firebender took her cup, pouring her some more tea. He handed it back to her and she smiled in thanks.

"When we were attacked, I thought I could protect us. But they kept coming and I got scared. Sunoo got away from me and I was scared he was dead somewhere on the ship. The Fire Nation killed the crew first and came after us.

"I could hear them screaming. They were killing the women to get to the kids and I couldn't do anything. I was trying to find Sunoo but the crowd was running around me and I couldn't see anything. He found me and we escaped to the side of the ship. The Firebenders were going on some rampage and knocking people off the boat and burning them and…"

"Calm down, Miss Nami," Iroh whispered as her breathing hitched. "Take another drink."

She managed a sip before continuing. "I tried to summon a wave but I couldn't concentrate and a little girl ran by with her coat on fire. I grabbed her and took the coat off, burning my hand.

"I think I started losing control then. The water was hitting the sides hard and I couldn't think. People started falling over the side and I couldn't calm down. Sunoo was barking, I think, but I couldn't concentrate."

The tea in her cup swirled and churned, fueled by her emotions. "I think I snapped then. The boat started taking in water and I fell in the ocean then."

She shuddered, taking another drink. The tea was helping some. "But it was different. Sunoo was dead. And the dead were pulling me under and they wouldn't let go. I was scared so I screamed, hoping someone would help me." Nami gazed up at Iroh and then back down at her cup. "Thank you, sir."

"You are very welcome. You gave me quite a scare," he said with a smile. '_It looks like I was not the only one either,_' he thought, giving Zuko, who hadn't moved from his spot on the wall, a glance. He stood up, stretching out his sore back. "Now I believe it is time for me to be getting back into bed." Iroh yawned and placed his cup back on the tray. She returned hers as well, petting her dog absentmindedly.

He smiled down at her, taking the tray. "Good night, Miss Nami. I hope you sleep better now."

"I am sure I will, sir. Thank you again." She watched him leave and remembered that the prince was still there. Nami gazed at him, trying to decipher what he was thinking. As soon as Iroh left though, he stood straight and crossed his arms over his chest.

The girl seemed to be relaxed with him at the moment. He gave her a slight glare and left the room as quickly as he could.

This was more trouble than it was worth.

* * *

Even with his lack of sleep, Zuko still woke up at the same time, right as dawn broke. Groaning, he rose and dragged on his training outfit. He noticed that the room next to him was quiet.

He frowned, thinking of what had happened last night. That wave hadn't hit them of pure coincidence.

Shaking his head, he left his room and began to make his way to the training room a floor up.

A door behind him opened and he heard his uncle's footsteps. "Good morning, Prince Zuko."

"Good morning, Uncle," he greeted.

"Why don't you join me in the meditation room for a moment before your training." He smiled as his nephew stiffened. "It would do you some good now and then to say what's on your mind."

The prince snorted but gave a nod. Iroh walked besides the prince, smiling good naturedly like he always did in the morning.

It made him frustrated how his uncle was a morning person and he was not.

The meditation room was two floors up from the quarters and three doors to the left. Impatiently, he knelt on the floor before the table as his uncle lowered himself carefully.

"So," Iroh said as he settled himself. "What is on your mind, Prince Zuko?"

He frowned, glaring at his uncle. "Nothing."

"Nothing? You can not have 'nothing' on the mind, Prince Zuko." Iroh took a deep breath. "It is the girl, isn't it?" When his nephew nodded, the older man smiled. "Ah, she's quite a Waterbender, isn't she?"

"That wave wasn't a coincidence but she didn't summon it either," he said, trying to place how it happened.

"It was her," Iroh confirmed. "I've only seen such raw power from you, Prince Zuko."

"But how? Waterbending takes concentration and she was not trying to summon that wave," he complained, lost in thought.

"Ah, Prince Zuko. You should know the answer to that." When he gave his uncle a questioning look, he explained, "You see, Prince Zuko, sometimes your emotions bottle up and you release them in your Firebending. Miss Nami's Waterbending, however, requires thinking and complete concentration. But when she becomes very distressed, like she was last night, her emotions are released to the water and the water acts like she does. If she is calm, the water is calm. If she is angry or scared, the water fights back for her, even if it ends up killing her." Iroh sighed. "It would be best to make sure she is calm on her stay here. Miss Nami could very well crack this hull if she becomes upset enough."

"She can not have that much power!" he cried, staring at his uncle in disbelief.

"No, but her emotions are strong," his uncle clarified. "And her emotions fuel her Waterbending." He shifted on the floor and gave his nephew another smile. "Anything else?"

"No," he answered, standing. Zuko gave his uncle a slight bow before he left, heading for the training room now.

He was about to finally enter the training room when he heard someone coming up the stairs. It couldn't be the captain, he was already upstairs.

"This ship is confusing, Sunoo."

"Not again," he groaned quietly.

She appeared at the top of the stairs before he could slip into the room. "Prince Zuko," she said in greeting. Her dog growled at him once again. "We are sort of lost," she admitted.

He glared at her.

"Can you tell us where the meditation room is?" she asked, giving him a small smile. "Please?"

The tic appeared again and he glared harder, trying to get her to go away. She stared him down though and that mutt helped. "Go to the next level; it's the third door on the left."

She gave him a bright smile. "Thank you!" she chirped, brushing past him.

Zuko slammed the door to the training room. He really hated her.

* * *

_His mission wasn't over yet. He still had to find a way to make it work. _

_He had opposed this mission in the beginning. It would never work. But he had to complete his task before he could rest in peace with the others. If he failed, it would be the end._

_So he sat, waiting for the most opportune time to make his move. He had to make this work. The world was counting on him like they were counting on the Avatar. His job seemed harder though._

_This mission had to go successfully. He would work on it until he died, only to be reborn again to complete the task at hand. Things had to go smoothly and he would risk anything to make sure they did._

_Even if it meant he had to die to complete the mission._


	4. Family Line

Thank you satsberrine for reviewing! Thanks for the support as well. He is a fun character to write.

This chapter is again shorter than the others but I promise the next chapter will have some length (at least I hope it does).

I might start slowing down because of another idea that popped up and won't leave me alone until I do something. I might just have to write it as well.

Please keep reading and reviewing though!

Disclaimer: I own Nami and Sunoo and Yasuo. That's it.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – _Iesuji_**

Nami sat politely across from Iroh. He gave her one of his smiles and called in a soldier.

"Bring us what the cook has laid out today, please," he said, earning a bow as the soldier left.

Sunoo lied down besides his human, closing his eyes. His breathing began to slow as he slept on; tired from making sure his human was all right last night.

"He has taken a liking to you," she observed. "Normally he would be on alert to make sure I will not be hurt."

"Ah, he is a special dog." Iroh looked up when the door opened. The soldier placed the tray on the table and bowed, leaving. The old man poured Nami a cup of tea before pouring his own. She thanked him even as he passed her a small bowl of rice and a plate with various foods on it.

The girl forced herself to have some manners even though her stomach gave a low growl. Her dog grumbled and she passed him something that looked like meat.

"He seems very close to you, Miss Nami." Iroh took a sip of tea as she smiled.

"He has been my companion for about six years now," she said, stroking the dog's head. "I found him outside in the middle of winter and I took him in. Sunoo's been with me ever since then." He received another meat strip.

Iroh nodded, not letting anything he would regret later from slip. "I assume you would like to be let off at the next port?"

She nodded, her hands moving to rest in her lap. "Yes, but." Nami stopped and stared down at Sunoo.

The Firebender encouraged her silently, watching the emotions dance across her face.

"I do not know what to do when I get there," she finished. "I used to work in a flower shop and helped a tailor but it will not be the same anymore." The Waterbender took a shaky breath. "I worked to keep the family going but now it's just me and Sunoo."

"Your father is in the war then?" he asked, watching her with sympathetic eyes.

"Yes, along with my brother. I do not know if they are all right or if they are," she stopped, swallowing hard.

He reached over and rested a hand on her shoulder. "It is all right, Miss Nami. You do not have to say it."

Taking in a shaky breath, she nodded and gave him a weak smile. It dropped then and sadness once again consumed her. "My mother is gone though. I know that for certain," she managed, trying to calm herself.

"It is hard to deal with the loss of a loved one," Iroh agreed, watching as she stared sadly down at her empty plate. "But they are still with us." He poured her another cup and sighed. "I have already lost my brother."

"Is he gone as well?" she asked, gazing at him.

"No, but he is like that to me. He has been consumed by greed and will not stop until he has the world under him." He winced as she gasped.

"Then you are the brother to Fire Lord Ozai!" she exclaimed, blinking as it sunk in. She must have been out of touch to not have figured that out. "That is funny; you don't act anywhere near to how he seems to be."

He chuckled and gave her a grin. "Miss Nami, if I acted like my brother, the world would be under Fire Nation control by now." The Firebender smiled at her dumbstruck look.

"Why?" she asked.

"Because I have an honor code unlike my brother. I do not believe in unnecessary sacrifices. That is why I left Ba Sing Se those years ago. It wasn't worth the effort." He took another drink of his tea as she processed the information.

She gave a nod and it reminded him of his nephew. "There is something I don't understand."

"Oh?" he said, tilting his head to one side. "And what is that?"

Nami looked up, staring him straight in the eyes. "Why waste your time on a girl who probably has no family left and nothing to offer? Why do anything for me?"

Iroh sighed and gave her another smile. "Prince Zuko and I have a code that we honor. We do not harm defenseless women and children, no matter what the cost. Also, the Admiral who attacked your ship is an old enemy of Prince Zuko's."

"So, basically he saved me to rub it in the Admiral's face?" she asked.

"Not so much. He might not seem like it but he does have a heart."

"Somewhere," she muttered.

Again, he chuckled. Iroh decided to change the topic. "How long have you been Waterbending? You have quite a bit of power."

Nami smiled. "Since I was eight. I did not practice that much because I had to support the family but I did as much as I could," she added, relaxing. "My mother was not happy about it though." Her smile fell.

"Oh? Why is that?" he asked, leaning on the table.

She sighed and, out of habit, began petting Sunoo. "I do not know. She seemed scared, I guess, when I told her. I guess she was scared because of what happened to the other Waterbenders and what happened to my grandmother." Iroh once again gave her silent encouragement. "The other Waterbenders were killed by the Fire Nation about twenty years ago when they first attacked. My grandmother was attacked by a Firebender at the same time while she and her husband were on the water in their boat. She became terrified and a wave hit the ship and it sunk. My grandfather came back alone and said that she had drowned.

"I guess there is something in our family line where our Waterbending is connected to our emotions. My mother did not want me to end up like her mother but I could not help it. It made me feel free," she said, sighing. "And now look what it has done." Her head fell into her hands and the Firebender felt the ship tilt suddenly.

"Miss Nami," he began, hoping to calm her before the ship flipped over. "It just seems you have a problem controlling your emotions. Prince Zuko has a terrible time controlling his anger." He let out a sigh of relief when the ship stilled. "I could help you for as long as you are on this ship. It would do us both some good," he chuckled.

"Really?" she asked, brightening instantly.

He smiled, knowing that this would be easier than teaching Prince Zuko to control his temper. "I am positive that I can. I need to do something every now and then to keep my old body in shape."

The Waterbender grinned widely, the wonders of being able to keep her emotions under control flowing through her. It was almost too good to be true. Sunoo even seemed happy, his tail wagging.

"When do we start?" she asked.

* * *

Zuko stood on deck, his hands clasped behind his back. The sun was right overhead, warming the otherwise cold air. He frowned though, searching for any island that they could stop and perhaps kick the girl and the dog off onto. The Firebender didn't find any, just blue ocean all around them.

He heard the hatch open behind him but didn't turn around. Someone began to whisper and he frowned again, hoping he could catch some of the words. He thought he heard his uncle's voice and Zuko finally turned around, wondering what in the world was going on.

A wave of water hit him squarely in the back as soon as he faced them.

Sputtering, the prince stared as he saw the girl with his uncle. She was giggling and even the dog looked happy. His own uncle was laughing, a rich sound.

"What are you laughing at?" he roared, shaking his arms to fling excess water off of him.

"You were right," he heard her say. "He does have a temper problem."

"What have you told her?" he asked, louder than he meant to.

The girl grinned widely at him while his uncle chuckled. "I have not told her anything. She guessed the temper problem."

"It wasn't hard to," she muttered loud enough for the prince to hear.

He snorted, a trail of smoke hissing from him. His body lit with flames, turning the ocean water into steam and effectively drying himself. Zuko growled as he walked towards them, showing he was not happy at all. The Firebender stood right in front of the girl, glaring down at her while she grinned.

"Nice trick," she said. "Did you like mine?"

Zuko growled and proceeded to storm off.

"Now, now, Prince Zuko. Do not be angry. I merely asked if she could summon up such a wave and she did! If you would like to blame someone, blame me," Iroh apologized, grinning as his nephew growled again. "You might want to stay on deck anyways. I was just about to teach her some techniques to relieve stress."

Stopping, the exiled prince turned and glared at his uncle but made his way to lean on the rail.

Iroh smirked and turned to Nami. "Ready?" he asked, sliding into a fighting stance.

She nodded, eagerly taking the stance he made.

Zuko watched in slight fascination as she moved gracefully across the deck of the ship. It took her several times to understand the move but she kept going, her determination getting in the way of her fatigue. His uncle seemed a bit impressed as well, going over some Firebending moves without the flames.

Iroh asked her to demonstrate what Waterbending moves she knew and Zuko promptly moved away from the railing. No way was he getting soaked again.

She summoned another wave, letting it fall before it hit the ship though. Her next move was simple as well and was basically a ball of water. Sheepishly, she rubbed the back of her head. "That's basically all I know," she announced.

Iroh nodded and began to help her through steps and moves again, critiquing her when she dropped her arm or leg in the wrong place. She would quickly correct it and continue following his uncle's steps.

The prince looked down, surprised to find the dog sitting beside him. He glanced up at the Firebender briefly and gave a short growl. Zuko assumed that was his way of saying 'stay away from her.'

"You are getting it now!" Iroh exclaimed happily, chuckling as she slid to stop and nearly slipped. "Ah, that was a nice workout," he panted, wiping his brow.

She was grinning still but gasping for air. Apparently, she wasn't in very good shape.

Zuko grunted and looked up when he heard his name. The captain announced that they would be at the next port in two days. He nodded and turned back to his uncle and the girl, seeing the mixed emotions dancing across her face. Frowning, he wondered why she would be unhappy to leave the ship.

"Prince Zuko!" Iroh called out. "Join us for dinner in the meditation room!"

There was no argument there. No ifs, ands, or buts.

Damn.

The dog stood, stretching his legs and snorting at the prince. Tail high in the air, he trotted off to join his human as she went to clean up.

"She has excellent grace," Iroh commented, leaning against rail. "She would be an excellent Waterbender if she tried harder."

Zuko snorted and walked off, glancing at the setting sun. It threw the sky on fire and brought slight peace to the young man.

He only had to deal with her for two more days.

* * *

_He watched while she ate and talked, keeping an eye on her the entire time. This was not something he liked to do but to complete his mission, he had to do it. _

_Sighing, he continued to watch her like a hawk while he thought. What had to happen tonight was not something he would forgive himself of doing. But he had been sent to complete his mission and he would so that he and she may find peace in the next world._

_A lot of the times, he hated his job. He loathed it, actually. _

_But he had to if things were to go right in the world. That was something he wished._

_He pushed his moral aside. _

_This had to be done._


	5. Violent Attack

Thank you EyeoftheTigerKissoftheDragon and LittleFlowerLei for reviewing!

I have decided to do a contest. The first person who guesses who the 'mystery talker' appearing throughout the chapters right gets a cookie!

I'll probably end up doing that other story. Check for it appearing soon.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar_. I own Nami, Sunoo, Yasuo and the 'mystery talker' though. Nah nah!

* * *

**Chapter 5 - _Kyoushuu_**

_He watched her, feeling guilty about what he had to do. She was asleep but he knew it wouldn't last for long. Sighing, he pushed the door open and made to walk out but he couldn't. _

_His promise to keep her safe kept floating up and he paused. He couldn't let her get hurt, especially not in this way. Turning, he made to walk back in but stopped himself. _

_What was he doing? His mission was to be complete and this _had_ to be done. He wanted to rest in peace and he believed she did as well. _

_Sighing, he forced himself to turn on his heel and walk out the door. He needed to go somewhere to think over his mission._

_He just hoped she would forgive him._

* * *

Zuko gazed at the full moon forlornly, hoping it would bring the Avatar to him if he thought hard enough. No such luck. He didn't think it would work anyways.

The prince turned when the hatch opened and his uncle walked out onto the deck. He crossed the steel surface to Zuko and stopped besides him. "A beautiful night, isn't it?" he asked softly.

He didn't reply and took back to staring at the moon. It stared back and seemed to mock him and his quest. The Firebender frowned.

Iroh watched his nephew for a moment before turning to the hatch. He smiled and gazed up at the moon. "We have a visitor."

"What?" he asked, trying to figure out where the visitor was.

The dog appeared out of the shadows, sniffing along the railing.

"It's just the dog, uncle," he muttered. '_I wonder why he left the girl,_' he thought and watched the canine as he continued to sniff the railings.

And promptly lifted his leg, marking the next bar.

Zuko almost burned the dog into ashes but Iroh held him back. The dog gave the prince a triumphant look and put his leg down. He looked quite pleased with himself.

"Just let me kill it!" he growled loudly, fighting the grip on his shoulder.

"Prince Zuko, control yourself," Iroh said calmly. He was grinning though.

"He did it on purpose!" the prince accused, snarling as the dog seemed to be laughing at him.

Their feud ended abruptly, however, as a wave hit the ship, making it lurch violently to the side. Another wave smashed the ship the opposite direction.

A terrified scream pierced the air.

* * *

Nami rolled over in the bed, surprised to find her dog not there. She didn't think anything of it though. She had left the door open incase he needed to take care of 'business.' Sighing, she tried to go back to sleep.

The door creaked as it opened slightly and it closed with a small click. Nami thought it was just Sunoo and didn't move. The clicking of boots, however, had her bolting up, squinting in the darkness to see who was here.

Something dark moved through the room quickly. She immediately fought to get off the bed but something hit her, throwing her into the wall. Her head knocked against the steel and she blinked the stars from her eyes.

Whatever was here had her pinned by the time her mind focused again. Just by the size and the rough hand holding her down, she had to guess it was a soldier.

A soldier who was chuckling softly.

"You're a feisty one," he slurred, his eyes glinting in the small amount of light.

He had to be drunk. There was no other reason why he would be in here with the prince's quarter right next to hers. She bucked, trying to throw him off. That had the opposite effect on the drunk, burly soldier.

"Impatient I see," he mumbled, chuckling again.

"Get off!" she yelled, twisting her wrists free. She decked him as hard as she could across the face and made to run off when he was stunned.

That didn't work.

He slapped her hard enough to make her nose bleed. She saw stars again and lied stunned for a few seconds. It was just enough time for the soldier to hit her again as he fought her spirit.

When her mind refocused, she felt his hands on her and she started fighting again. "Get off!" she yelled again, trying to kick the man. Nami freed one hand from his hold and tried to punch him but missed as he ducked and punched her himself. The wind was knocked out of her and she gasped for air.

"Little bitch!" he growled, throwing her off the bed. His foot connected with her side, making her roll facedown on the floor. The soldier snarled loudly as he beat the girl while she curled up on the ground.

Nami let out soft groans as blows rained down on her. She was losing her control; she could already feel the ocean outside beginning to churn. Crying, she struggled to focus as waves rose up and hit the ship, throwing her into the wall. The waves outside were rising higher as her control slipped and snapped. Her world shattered and collapsed as the man continued to rain blows on her.

She screamed.

* * *

"What is going on?" yelled the prince as he grabbed the railing, preventing him from falling over the edge.

Another wave made the warship lurch to the other side and the dog went sliding across the deck, barking. He tore off, charging for the hatch as he snarled and barked.

"The girl!" his uncle yelled over the creaking of the boat.

Zuko, managing to get a foothold, followed the dog, sliding across the deck as the ship was pummeled by waves. He ran after the sound of the dog's barking, hands braced incase he went flying into the walls.

Several soldiers and sailors were appearing out of rooms, wondering what was going on as well. After seeing the prince racing down the halls, they followed.

He burst into the hall, barely acknowledging that the door to the girl's room was shut and her dog was snarling, throwing himself against the door. The Firebender hit the door, throwing it open.

The dog rushed in, snarling. His small body hit the soldier hard and the two rolled on the ground. His teeth snapped at the man's face and neck while his claws ripped open his arm.

Zuko stared, trying to figure out where the dog ended and the man began. Growling, he reached over and fought the dog off the soldier, tossing him away while he dealt with the man.

He was nearly punched as the soldier retaliated. Zuko grabbed his arm, twisting it around and pinning the man on the floor. He bucked and snarled but stayed still when a flaming fist appeared next to his face.

"It would be in your best interest to stay still," the prince growled. Looking up, he found several other soldiers and his uncle watching him. He stood up, extinguishing the fire on his hand and pointed to the men. "Take him to the holding cells! I'll deal with him later!"

Several of them rushed forward and dragged the drunken soldier away.

The boat gave another heave as the waves continued to hit it.

"Prince Zuko!" his uncle called out, gripping the dresser to keep him from falling.

He turned and found the room empty except for him, his uncle and the dog. "Where?" he asked but found the beast was trying to get under the bed. Frowning, he crossed the room and knelt down, squinting in the darkness.

She was trembling and staring at him with wide eyes. Her face was bloody and she backed further under the bed when he reached out to drag her out, whining. It almost sounded like she was hyperventilating as tears slipped down her face, mixing with the blood.

The waves were becoming more urgent and he grimaced as his head hit the steel support under the mattress. Sighing, he managed to bite back his pride. "Come on, it's all right now," he whispered gently, trying to calm her down as his head reconnected with the steel.

She whimpered, pushing herself against the wall. A vague memory crept up but she pushed it back down, curling into a small ball.

"Nami," he said, managing to not growl. "Come on, it's safe now."

The girl blinked and he noticed her pupils had shrunk from the shock. She blinked again, her pupils growing as she finally shuffled towards him slightly. Her breathing had calmed down slightly and she moved closer to where the prince and her dog were.

Zuko grabbed her arm as soon as she was close enough. She squeaked as he dragged her across the floor. Her trembling started up again and a blanket draped across her shoulders. The girl gazed around the room even as Sunoo jumped on her, licking the blood off her face. She winced, pushing him down and pulled the blanket closer.

"Prince Zuko, you stay here. I will go get Yasuo," Iroh said, leaving the room so that his nephew couldn't argue.

He opened his to mouth to say anything to get him out of here but found his uncle had already left. Sighing, he gave the girl a small glare but found she wasn't even looking at him but softly scolding her dog. The dog himself looked like he was sorry for leaving her and licked her face to help calm her.

The waves had stopped and he felt the ocean calming. He gave a small sigh of relief.

"Prince Zuko?"

Zuko glanced over at the girl. Her voice had been so small that he felt a pang of sympathy for her. "I am sorry you had to go through that." His voice sounded cold and he forced himself to sound a little kinder. No telling what could happen if she went into another fit like that. "I promise that it will not happen again."

"No, no," she mumbled, holding tightly onto her dog. "Thank you, again." She gave him a weak smile. "It's the second time you've come to the rescue."

Sighing, he sat on the floor next to her and tried to assess the damage done. The bleeding from her nose had slowed and her face had started to swell. She was wincing and curled up when the door opened.

Iroh and Yasuo walked in, the Firebender carrying a tray of tea and the medic carrying another tray with bandages and other medical supplies. Zuko almost wondered where his uncle kept all of it. Yasuo made her turn to face him as the table was in the way. He began to examine his patient as Iroh poured tea into cups.

"You took quite a beating," the medic mumbled, taking a wet cloth from his tray and wiping the blood off of her face. She winced as he pressed down on sensitive bruises but remained still. "Not broken though, that is good."

The older Firebender passed her a cup of tea and she waited until Yasuo put the cloth back down before taking a long drink. Shuddering, she settled further down into the blanket.

Yasuo turned to the two Firebenders and shooed them. "I need to take care of her now," he said.

Iroh chuckled and grabbed his nephew, dragging him out of the room and into his own. He made the prince sit and poured him a cup of tea before he could stop the old man. "Your nerves are frayed, Prince Zuko. This will help you think clearly."

Before he knew what he was doing, the young man had taken a drink of the tea. It did calm his nerves somewhat.

"She will be all right, Prince Zuko," his uncle assured him. "Miss Nami is strong and will get through this."

"It is not that. She was attacked on this ship when I promised her she would not be." He stared down into the tea and wished he could make it explode. It would give him some satisfaction. "I do not know if we can keep her safe from the other men for another two days."

"I have just the solution, Prince Zuko!" his uncle said cheerfully.

Zuko stared. Obviously, he was not too happy about his uncle's outburst. Who knows what he could be thinking and for once, Zuko was a little scared.

* * *

"I can't believe your uncle thought of this."

The exiled prince looked over to see her back to him. Well, what would have been her back if her dog hadn't been lying beside her. He gave a snort. Of course he had imagined his uncle to think of some crazy plot like this to happen.

He couldn't believe he had let his uncle walk away without a scratch on him when he suggested it.

So now, here he was, the exiled prince of the Fire Nation with the Water Tribe girl in his bed as far away from him as she possibly could. Her dog was watching the prince with wary eyes and had made very sure that the Firebender hadn't tried anything.

Zuko sighed and rolled his shoulders. "This was the only idea we had. And I would assume you would not want to hear my uncle's snoring the entire night." He heard her snort. '_Well, her spirit is back at least,_' he thought. The Firebender waved his hand, extinguishing the lamp.

She felt the bed shift and scooted a little more to the wall until she was almost right up against it. Nami hissed, clutching her side as the movement jarred her bruised ribs. The bed stopped as the prince turned to looked over at her.

"I'm fine."

He shrugged and lied down. Sunoo grunted and kept himself planted between the two humans, growling slightly as Zuko shifted.

"Shut up," he grumbled at the dog.

"What?" she asked.

"Talking to your mutt," he muttered.

"Be thankful he hasn't bitten you yet," she mumbled.

He snorted and, balancing on the edge of the bed, tried to sleep.

"That can not be comfortable," she remarked. "You do not have to balance on the edge of the bed. Sunoo understands. I hope," she growled and her dog gave a whimper.

"I am fine," he growled.

"Ah, suit yourself," Nami mumbled, yawning. She fell asleep soon, exhausted.

Zuko stared at the wall and only fell asleep when he heard the dog's small snores.

* * *

_He had hated leaving her alone. His heart was heavy with guilt at knowing he could have prevented that from happening. _

_Pacing, he moved about the room silently, taking in the difference. He could hear the snores of the occupants of the bed. His feet stopped in the middle of the room. This couldn't go on forever._

_He had completed this part of the mission. He still needed to make sure the mission ended well. It would help end this stupid war._

_How he hated his mission though._

_Sighing softly, he silently cursed whatever gods there were that he had been stuck with this almost impossible task. But he had done well so far. _

_He stared at the full moon through the window and promptly wished this nightmare would end so he could get on with his life. Of course, no such thing would happen. _

_It would only be a few more days and, if that went well, he would be free. _

_He just needed to make sure his next move would not get the opposite effect._


	6. Having Tried and Failed

Thank you LittleFlowerLei and satsberrine for the review! And no it is not Zhao, Zuko or, er, Kermit.

Well, that other story is up and just to say it now, it has nothing to do with this one. If you want, go read it.

Please read and review!

Disclaimer: The only things I own are Nami, Yasuo, and Sunoo. Shoo lawyers, shoo.

* * *

**Chapter 6 – _Konmake_**

_His plan was going smoothly so far. He just needed a few moments time to work out his next move. This one had to be the one that made a world of difference and would put him at rest. He had been doing this too long to screw up._

_Shifting, he made sure he hadn't woken any of them up and sighed softly. _

_This had to work. It would end the war if it did._

_It would end his suffering._

* * *

Zuko groaned softly as he opened his eyes. He stared at the canine who opened his blue eyes and gazed at him.

The dog gave him a low growl.

"Shut up," he mumbled, rolling to turn away from the mutt. The prince got to his feet quietly as the girl seemed to still be sleeping. He grabbed a shirt from the chair and dragged it on.

Whining, the dog lifted his head and watched the Firebender as he strapped on his armor.

"What is it?" he asked, glaring at the dog.

Panting, the dog's tail wagged and he barked. It was like the dog was thanking him.

"You are welcome," he said, nodding.

He finished strapping on his armor and walked out the door.

Sunoo smiled slightly and curled up next to his human, falling back asleep.

* * *

Nami met Iroh for breakfast again. She was slightly uneasy and the older Firebender could tell.

"Miss Nami, are you all right?" he asked, watching her.

"I am fine, thank you," she answered politely, petting her dog.

"I have learned that when women say they are fine, they are in fact worried," he commented.

She chuckled softly. "You have become wise in the ways of women," Nami said, smiling. "I am worried about what will happen when I leave tomorrow." The Water Tribe girl looked up at Iroh. "I do not know what I will do."

Iroh nodded, his expression turning slightly grim. "It is a bit overwhelming but I know you can do it." He sat back and smiled. "You could always stay on the ship. I am sure Prince Zuko would not mind."

The Waterbender shook her head. "No, I was just being silly. I will be fine." She gave the man a smile but he could see she was still worried.

"If you would like, I could teach you some more techniques. It would help you, I am sure," he said with a smile.

Nodding, Nami sighed and put down her cup. "That would be great."

* * *

Zuko stared at the cloudy sky and wished it was clear again. It was always a bad omen if the sky clouded over like this.

A yell sounded and he turned watching as his uncle and the girl move across the deck. She would grimace when she had to kick, most likely because of her bruises. He had to say, she was very determined, almost like him.

He still couldn't believe that she had been attacked on this ship. The soldier would be punished for such an act and Zuko would make sure of that.

The dog whined and looked up at the prince with a slightly worried look.

"I could not stop her if I tried," he muttered to the beast.

He whined again and lied down on the steel deck. The prince was getting smart.

Zuko snorted and turned to stare at the cloudy sky. Something began to move through the clouds and he squinted, trying to figure out what it was. He pulled his spyglass out and focused it on the moving figure.

A large flying animal with a brown stripe down its back and six legs came into view.

"The Avatar!" he yelled.

The deck swarmed to life.

* * *

Iroh stopped and watched his nephew work as he tried to usher the girl into the safety of the hatch. She resisted though and dug her heels in, stopping the Firebender.

"What is going on?" she yelled over the roar of voices.

The old man sighed and grabbed her arm. "If you come with me, I will tell you," he promised.

Nami stared up at him and nodded, whistling for Sunoo. The dog appeared with a bark and followed after his human as the Firebender led them below deck. An explosion rang out from the deck and the Waterbender stopped to turn but Iroh took her wrist gently and led her to the meditation room.

"Okay, what is going on?" she demanded, crossing her arms as she pinned Iroh down with a hard stare.

Sighing, he sat on one of the cushions and invited her to join him. She sat stiffly across from him. He rubbed his beard and nodded.

"Zuko's one mission in life is to capture the Avatar, no matter what the cost. He will stop at nothing to fulfill it," he explained.

"But the Avatar can end this war!" she argued.

"He can end the war in favor of all nations. Fire Lord Ozai wants the world for himself," Iroh said grimly, glancing down at the dog who seemed a little nervous.

"Why does Zuko have to catch the Avatar though?" Nami asked, staring at her hands. "Why is he so determined?"

Iroh sighed again. "It is the only way he will be accepted back into the Fire Nation." The Waterbender looked confused. "He was banished by his father when he was fourteen and this was his condition to return to the throne."

She stared down at the floor, processing the new information. That didn't seem fair. "But from what I have heard, the Avatar has been back for only about four months. Why would he have to…" she trailed off as it hit her. "Oh."

"I keep telling him that his father is not the understanding type but he will not listen," Iroh said quietly. "Capturing the Avatar gives Prince Zuko hope that he will be able to return home."

Sunoo looked up at her and she noticed the worried look. She stroked his head, trying to reassure the dog. Her mind was whirling and she gave a slightly defiant look towards the Firebender. "I know that he wants to capture the Avatar but I cannot let him do it!"

Before Iroh had known it, she had disappeared out of the room. She was quite fast even with her injuries. The old man sighed but knew he couldn't stop her and decided it was best if he stayed down here. He really hoped his nephew wouldn't blame him for any damage she might cause.

* * *

Prince Zuko let out a yell and the catapults released their fiery load into the air. He watched with frustration as the bison dodged the flaming debris. Again, he let out a yell and growled when the beast veered away.

He was about to call for the third attack when the boat lurched suddenly to the left. He caught himself on the railing as another wave hit the ship, sending several of his men crashing down onto the deck. Surely that Waterbender girl couldn't create waves from that high up in the air.

A curtain of water flung itself from the ocean and hit the deck, soaking everything in its path. The third wave was extinguished. He sputtered and glowered at the bison.

The bison had disappeared.

The Firebender grabbed his spyglass and searched the skies for the beast but it had vanished into the clouds most likely. Frustration pounded into him and he punched the railing with a flaming fist.

"What the hell were you doing?"

He turned at the yell and found the Waterbender standing on deck. Of course, the waves weren't from the girl with the Avatar.

They were from her.

"Well?" she asked, storming up to him and staring him in the eyes.

"I was trying to capture the Avatar which you just ruined!" he yelled.

"Why?" she asked him in a growl.

"I do not have to explain myself to you," he said in a dangerous voice. "I do not have to deal with you right now either."

"Then throw me off the ship. I don't care! You'd be just like every other Fire Nation soldier!" she remarked, throwing her hands in the air.

He almost slapped her but remained in check. Instead he grabbed the front of her shirt and held her level with him. "I do not appreciate that kind of talk," he growled softly. "If you would like, we could shove you into the same cell as that soldier last night."

She glared and he dropped her. "You wouldn't dare," she hissed.

"Try me."

Nami glared again and turned on her heel, storming down the hatch. Sunoo, who had been watching from the door, disappeared after her.

Zuko fought his anger down and looked around him. Every single body on deck was watching him with a surprised expression.

"Get back to work!" he roared, barely making sure fire didn't erupt from his throat. The boat grew alive as people began to move to make sure his anger wasn't taken out on them.

He glowered at the crew and made his way towards the training room to work out some of his fury. His hand ached but he ignored it and continued.

* * *

Iroh waited patiently in his nephew's room after hearing of the standoff that had happened on deck earlier. He wasn't surprised that it had happened; both teens were stubborn and had a foot in their beliefs.

Too bad their beliefs were the opposite.

He sighed and was very thankful to find out that Zuko had not harmed her. Well, physically at least. The Firebender smiled though. It would have been an interesting match up to see. He would have to watch a sparring match between the two. No doubt that would be amusing to see.

The door opened, startling the man from his thoughts. His nephew walked in, covered in sweat and breathing hard. His outfit had a couple of burns in it as he stripped of the top portion.

"Training hard still, Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked.

The prince growled and threw the shirt into a corner of the room.

"I heard about the standoff on deck. I heard you did not hurt her. I am very proud of you, Prince Zuko," he said, smiling at his nephew.

He snorted. "She was lucky, uncle. I would have hit her if she stayed another minute."

Iroh frowned. "That was not the response I wanted to hear."

Again, the prince snorted. "She started it," he countered, finding a towel finally. He started to wipe the sweat off his face when his uncle sighed.

"Prince Zuko, you may not think it but she is quite intelligent. She understands why you have to capture the Avatar."

"If she understands, then why did she prevent me from capturing the Avatar?" he countered, glaring at the wall.

"She has her own beliefs and she respects them," he answered calmly. "She also seems to understand what you do not want to hear, Prince Zuko."

"About what?" he questioned, pulling on a clean shirt.

"About why your father sent you on this quest," his uncle answered.

"I do not want to listen to this again. My father would never disown me!" He glared at his uncle, his breathing once again heavy.

Iroh nodded and stood, bowing to his nephew. "I will leave you to your thoughts, Prince Zuko." He made his way to the door and paused. "Oh, by the way, Miss Nami did not appreciate your threat. She said a couple of very unkind things about you as well."

The prince shrugged.

"She also insisted about sleeping in the guest room tonight."

"I do not care," he muttered and glared at the wall again.

Iroh nodded and left.

* * *

_This couldn't be. The gods really hated him._

_His mission had suddenly turned for the worse as she slept in the guest room. This wasn't supposed to happen. _

_Damn the Avatar. Why had he chosen to show up at that particular time? He knew he could stop the Fire Nation but still, that scene had been ugly with the two of them. That had ruined his plan and now he was back at square one. _

_What was he going to do? She was leaving tomorrow and he knew that the gods had something planned or else they would've convinced the Avatar to stay out of sight. This didn't make any sense at all._

_Sighing, he stopped his pacing. He would have to go along with fate. He would have to sit back until he could think of something._

_He just hoped it wasn't too late._


	7. Tragic Death

Thank you midianek and Sunburst 231 for reviewing! The mystery character will be revealed at the end of this chapter.

This one is longer than most of the others and I am very sorry to have written this (you'll understand soon).

Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar_ but I own Yasuo, Nami, and Sunoo…and the guys in this chapter most likely.

* * *

**Chapter 7 – _Zanshi_**

Nami woke to the licking of Sunoo as he wagged his tail. His tongue lolled playfully out of his mouth as he shook the blankets. She smiled and rubbed his head while standing with a small hiss. Her ribs hurt still. Chancing it, she lifted the side of her shirt and winced.

Large black bruises outlined in purple spread from her stomach to halfway up her ribcage. A couple of cuts crisscrossed the bruises which made it an even uglier sight.

She sighed and rearranged her shirt again. That was when she noticed something.

The boat wasn't moving.

She was used to the ship rocking with the waves and noticed it almost right off the bat. Moving towards the window, she looked out and saw that they were in a port. Grinning, she hugged her dog and sighed happily. She'd get off this ship and away from the Firebenders. Though she would miss Iroh. He at least knew how to treat someone.

"We are going to be all right now, boy," she whispered, rubbing his head.

* * *

He watched her leave with a frown. Zuko glanced over at his uncle who actually looked saddened that the girl was leaving. The man could care for something so trivial.

She was finally out of his hair and he relished the few moments where he wasn't listening to her. The dog had growled at him when he left though it sounded almost friendly. The girl didn't say anything at all to him, just gave him a nod. To his uncle, however, she had hugged the older man and gave him a smile.

Zuko turned to find his uncle was already leaving the ship, no doubt going to shop for more useless items in the town. He sighed and disappeared down the hatch, yelling at several men to find out what supplies they needed and to get them before nightfall.

He went down to blow some anger of by training. It was his only time where his uncle wouldn't criticize him on his technique.

Night had fallen and several lights had gone off in the houses. The only shops open now were bars and pubs. A couple of night birds screeched and swooped on small insects and mice.

Nami sighed and sat down, leaning against a house. Sunoo sat down besides her and whined.

"I know. I'm hungry, too," she mumbled. So far, not one business had wanted to do with the likes of a Water Tribe girl who had come from a Fire Nation ship. She considered going back to the ship and seeing if Iroh would sneak her some food but dismissed the thought. She wanted to show that arrogant prince she didn't need him.

Her stomach growled and she winced. "Maybe we'll have luck tomorrow, Sunoo," she whispered. His bark comforted her and she wrapped an arm around his neck. "Good boy."

She was starting to doze off when her dog tensed and growled deeply. Nami snapped awake and blinked, staring around the area.

"Looked good didn't she?"

"Hell yeah. Wanted her then and now."

The girl held her breath and pressed into the shadows of the house, praying whoever it was kept walking. Sunoo stayed quiet and moved to block her with his small body.

"Heh, that was fun."

"Yeah." The person hiccupped. "Hey, what's that?"

Sunoo growled and let the hair rise on his back.

"S'a dog," slurred a very large man. "Oh! And a lil' mouse."

She forced her breathing to stay calm as four men stared down at her, all except one large and burly. The fourth was smaller and had to be the brains of the group. He smiled as the three, who appeared to be drunk, took a step closer and the dog barked a warning.

"Now, now my good men. It seems that this dog does not want us to associate with her," he observed and patted two shoulders. "Jiro, would you please tell the dog that we would like to visit with her?"

One of the men moved forward with a shuffling step. The dog barked again as he bared his teeth. He just grinned and reached down to grab him.

Sunoo ripped into his hand, snarling viciously. He clamped down and shook his head, attempting to rip the man's hand off. The man yelped and pulled his hand away when the dog released and snarled again.

The small man frowned as the dog snapped at the men's heels and gave the girl a small kick with his back leg, urging her to move. He nodded and the men surrounded the girl and the dog.

"Kananye, remove that mutt from this area."

Another one stepped forward and feinted with one hand while managing to grab the dog with his other. The dog snarled and then seemed to grin.

Gasping, the man dropped the dog after a brutal kick to the solar plexus from him. He had to retreat as the dog lunged to slash his face and rip open his ear with his teeth.

"Taku, I grow tired of this mutt. Get rid of him."

He grunted and moved forward but flew backwards but the dog didn't attack him.

Sunoo smiled as his human fought off her terrified state and had managed to get enough water from the roofs and holding jugs to form a water ball. She stood beside him and tried to figure out what to do.

The smaller man glared hard as the girl tried to find an escape route. "Men, I grow weary of this. Leave the girl alive. That's all I want."

The three nodded and two brought out a knife each. Her eyes widened and she grabbed whatever water she could find. Sunoo snarled and leapt at the first one, sinking his teeth into his arm.

While the man was distracted, she flung another water ball at one of the attackers with a knife. He grunted as he slid backwards and she grabbed her dog's harness, throwing him towards the cleared path. "Run, Sunoo!"

The dog didn't wait for another chance and high tailed it, barking loudly. Nami followed as fast as she could, leaping over fences as she heard her attackers on her heels. She paused for a second and turned down an alley with her dog in tow. Soon, she had no idea where she was and slowed to a stop as she ran into a dead end. "Aw, shit," she mumbled softly in gasps.

"Down here!"

She turned, her fear rising as the men blocked her only escape. Sunoo snarled and put himself between her and the men.

All three moved in quickly and she was knocked away easily enough. Her dog sunk his teeth into one of the legs with a growl and held on as he was hit hard. He flew into the wall but kept standing, his eyes firing with malice. He roared like a lion and leapt forward at the men again.

The smaller one was fast and had her up against the wall, pinning her with his weight mostly. "Call your mutt off or we'll kill him," he growled.

Her mind whirled. "Sunoo!" she called out desperately. "Stop! Down!"

He ignored her and attacked, trying to protect her. No one would hurt her if he had anything to say about it. His claws raked across flesh as he fought on.

"Sunoo! Please!" she cried out, tears starting to appear.

Barking, he glared at the men and kept on fighting.

"Too bad," the man whispered. "Kill him!"

His paws hit the men and he lunged at one, teeth bared. The man let him land and sunk his knife into the dog's stomach. He yelped as the man shoved him down.

She stared as Sunoo lied still on the ground, blood flowing freely. Dark blood.

"Sunoo," she mumbled, staring at her dog.

An ear twitched. His paws moved as he forced his head up and panted softly. He threw his head back and let out a mournful, wailing howl.

He needed help.

* * *

"I have a terrible feeling, Prince Zuko," Iroh said as he stared out at the town.

"Enough, uncle. It is late," he mumbled, yawning.

"Zuko," the Firebender said grimly.

The prince turned because his uncle had always called him 'Prince Zuko.' Never 'Zuko.' He was really worried.

"Something is happening. I can feel it." He turned to stare out at the town. "Something is not right."

Zuko was unnerved by his uncle's grimness. It was the complete opposite of his eccentric attitude. "What is it?" he asked.

"I do not know," he answered, sighing. "But it is very bad."

The prince opened his mouth but shut it as a loud, wailing howl pierced the night air.

It was the dog's call.

* * *

"Shut him up!" the man yelled at the burly figures. "Shut him up now!"

She screamed and fought, trying to kick him off. He slammed her into the wall, crazed eyes staring into her fearful ones.

He continued to howl with his remaining strength. Sunoo felt hands grabbing him but kept on, screaming almost.

"Let him go!" she shrieked, trying to focus to draw water from around them to fight them off with. "Let him go!"

"Shut up!"

"Sunoo!" she yelled, getting her arm free and decking the man. He let her go with a curse as she struggled to get to her dog.

A gurgled yelp sounded in the alley.

Nami stared as a river of blood spilled from Sunoo's neck. He whined softly as the man dropped his body and lied still. Sunoo stared at his human and smiled slightly as his eyes closed.

He was gone.

"No…" she whispered, staring at what used to be her dog. She didn't feel anything as the man grabbed her and forced her into the wall again. The girl didn't feel anything but a strange emptiness inside as she stared at the dog.

All hell broke loose then.

* * *

Zuko dashed down alley after alley, several soldiers in his wake. The dog was still wailing and he was surprise no one had come out to see what was going on. He moved down another alley and was thankful the dog's wailing was closer.

He had to be about twenty feet away when the wailing suddenly stopped and the air when quiet.

The Firebender cursed loudly. "Find her!" he roared.

Soldiers scattered down different alleys while he started to follow after where he thought the dog was.

The first thing he noticed was blood, a lake of it. There were very large men milling around the source of the dark blood and he figured this had to be it.

Fire flew from his fists and felled the men like trees. Zuko took down the first with a flaming kick and went after another with a fireball. His anger fueled his attacks as he sunk a punch into a soft gut.

"Bastard!" someone cried out and Zuko dodged a swing from a club. He easily took down the smaller man with a punch to the face.

Breathing hard, he glanced around the alley as his crew took down the large men. The dog's body was next to the wall, whole except for the blood dripping from the wounds. Where was she?

He heard a small whimper and found her collapsed behind him. She was staring at the dog with wide, unfaltering eyes.

Zuko knelt down in front of her, waving his hand in front of her face. She didn't move, just stared. He tapped her face, finding her pale skin colder than it should be.

Nami didn't acknowledge he was there and gave a low whimper.

Sighing, he lifted her easily and carried her out of the alley. "Leave them," he barked at his soldiers. The command didn't have the usual edge to it though and they blinked in surprise but followed it.

The prince took her back to the ship, giving his uncle a nod as he took her down the hatch to the guest room. He set her down on the bed and sighed as she still just stared.

Yasuo appeared and shooed the Firebender out so he could examine his patient.

Zuko began to make his way back up to the deck but stopped. "You!" he snapped out, stopping a soldier. "Come with me," he said. He had to do one more thing.

* * *

Iroh watched as his nephew and two soldiers appeared from the hatch. "Where are you going, Prince Zuko?" he asked.

"I have to do something," he said simply and the three left.

The old man sighed and looked behind him when a breeze blew past. A blue dog sat, staring forlornly at the Firebender. He hung his head and gazed off into the distance.

"Sunoo," Iroh whispered, beckoning the dog towards the railing.

Whining, he stood and sat besides Iroh, still looking mournful.

"You have done a wonderful job with her," he said, smiling. "The gods would be proud of your heroism."

He whimpered and stared at the hatch door.

"I am sure you have completed your mission, Sunoo. By the way, what was it?" he asked with a small grin.

Sunoo frowned and then lied on his stomach. He placed his front paws together, looking up at Iroh for understanding.

"Ah!" he replied, grinning slyly. "So that was it." Iroh would have reached down to pat the dog but knew he couldn't. "I am sure it has been fulfilled and you will rest in peace now, Spirit Guide."

The dog smiled slightly and his tail wagged. He still seemed worried though.

"Sunoo, if it will make you rest easier, I will watch her and make sure it goes well," he promised, giving the dog an even gaze.

That reassured him and he nodded. His head snapped up though as he began to disappear. Bowing to Iroh, he raced off, leaping through the walls of the ship.

* * *

Nami sat in shock, staring at the door. The medic had left and she was waiting for Sunoo to appear and then she would scold him for worrying her.

A slight chill ran past her and she could almost smell the musky scent of his fur. The chill wrapped around her in a comforting way. She reached out to pet the invisible creature, to thank it.

Then it was gone.

She gasped as realization hit her and her shock began to disappear as her body filled with pain. Tears slipped down her face and she knew what had happened.

A loud sob escaped her and she curled up on the bed, grief overtaking and consuming her.

* * *

And yes, the mystery character was Sunoo (for those you who didn't get it)! midianek gets a cookie! hands midianek a cookie

Thanks for guessing!


End file.
